Kerrey decides against Senate run

Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 12:51 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Congress, Democrats, Republicans

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro and Mark Murray
The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call is reporting that former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey (D) will not run for Chuck Hagel’s (R) open seat next year.

Kerrey would have put the seat in play, and DSCC chairman Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was actively recruiting Kerrey, who is the president of the New School in New York.

Kerrey’s decision certainly gives Republicans the edge to hold onto the seat with either former Secretary of Agriculture and Gov. Mike Johanns (R) or Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning the favorites.

Other Democratic possibilities are Mike Fahey, mayor of Omaha, or Scott Kleeb, a rancher who lost in his bid for NE-03 in 2006. But neither will have the name recognition or immediate appeal of Kerrey.

“Kerrey’s decision amounts to the second bit of good news for the National Republican Senatorial Committee in as many days.” Roll Call writes, “On Tuesday wealthy San Antonio attorney Mikal Watts (D) pulled out of the Texas Senate race. Watts was another prized DSCC recruit.”

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Comments

ANOTHER GUTLESS DEMOCRAT CANT DO SOMETHING FOR OTHERS JUST HIMSELF.

KENN (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 12:56 PM)

ANOTHER GUTLESS DEMOCRAT CANT DO SOMETHING FOR OTHERS JUST HIMSELF.

KENN (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 12:56 PM)

Sometimes it seems like my party can't help tripping over their own feet, when it comes to taking advantage of opportunities, whether they be in the Congress or the campaign in '08.
Let's hope the party finds suitable, strong candidates to run in these contests.

Van

vanreuter, NY NY (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 12:57 PM)

Bob Kerrey is one of those rare democrats that's worth listening to on news shows. He has too much sense to want to be associated with the worst congress in history.

Dave, Tn (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 1:19 PM)

<Sometimes it seems like my party can't help tripping over their own feet,>

Kerrey can't trip over his own feet.

Msg, DR OH (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 1:24 PM)

Nobody want to be part of incompetent congress lead by harry Reid leadership who rubber stamp every thing Bush sent his way.

The people killing this party are the old guard who think ideology is all that matters. Until Democratic leadership wake up from their slumber, i don't see a way out until we loose another election.

I am tired of fighting cultural war that is meaningless in the life of average voters. No more '60s battle, it is time for a new era of leadership. The baby boomer generation have screwed us all up. We need change in America.

Bee (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 1:36 PM)

Still time, nothing's settled yet, keep cool, minor setback. George still has fifteen months, that has got to be good news to our party! I wonder if he will be able to find a church to stand in front of when he goes to calIFORNICATIONYOUALL. Not making fun of your state, just thought I'd name it what it would be if you trust this man to help you. God bless you californians and keep you safe. Remember what Snake Pliskin siad at the end of Escape from LA, "the more things change, the more they stay the same", 666, the world code is on, george has his finger on the button.

John S. Alexander, Edinboro, PA (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 1:37 PM)

Sometimes it seems like my party can't help tripping over their own feet....

When you have Dingy Harry Reid as your leader....
you really have to thik things through.......

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 1:56 PM)

I live in California, but fortunatly away from the fire area, but when I read, "Bush Coming to California"....., I thought to myself, Oh no! Not another "You're doing a great job Brownie"
Californian's are a strong and resiliant bunch, We've been through this before and will come out of this OK,
Please, someone keep this man in Washington on our behalf! Hes done enough damage around the world, California can survive without him !

John Boyes, Long Beach, California (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 2:03 PM)

It is about time for us american to wake up. We talk about Soc. Security to be broke soon. The economy in shambles. The chinese are taking over the US. The dollar is weak. Ilegal immigration rampant.American dying Overseas, Our treasury lost.ET AL> We Americans in 2008 need to think in a candidate that is Christian, Smart, and above all patriotic .Let us NOT vote for the candidate of a given party. Let's be loyal to our country. Vote for the candidate that is willing to be fiscally responsible, experienced,and who is not going to govern as a party follower, but instead as a patriotic American.

Abel. Lakeland, Fl. (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 2:16 PM)

dubia - Stay out of California, everywhere you go you just screw thing up, everything you touch turns to poop. Stay away go find a hole and stay there.

George A (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 2:24 PM)

Abel. Lakeland, Fl,

How can we find the candidate when the main stream media decided not to give credible candidate appropriate coverage? They prefer candidate with scandal written all over her face.

Someone like Huckabee might fit your criteria but he doesn't get coverage. Biden is another intresting guy buy they don't cover him either.

Bee (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 2:33 PM)

I thought that the main reason Kerrey will have decided not to run, if indeed Roll Call is correct, and Mort Kondracke is hardly the most reliable reader of Democratic politics given the amount of time he spends with Krauthammer and Barnes on FNC, is that he has, in the past, taken substantial contributions from Hsu, which would almost certainly have become an election issue. I don't believe "gutless" can ever be ascribed to Bob Kerrey.

Timothy M (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 2:43 PM)

dubia - Stay out of California, everywhere you go you just screw thing up, everything you touch turns to poop.

Looks like GWB has touched you in many ways George.

AJ (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 2:48 PM)

Heres something else FR missed while quoting ROLL CALL:

''Democrats set to surpass the last Congress in entitlement spending''[read:Pork].

90 billion in FY 2006 complete with ''bridges to nowhere'',while Democrats have moved beyond 100 billion and counting,in less than one year even without the gigantic farm subsidy bill now working its way through Congress. Waste and fraud is expected by PORKBUSTERS to be in the billions not even counting funding for the Iraq War.

www.rollcall.com

www.porkbusters.com

Lee Holmes (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 2:59 PM)

Any candidate without an (R) nest to their name has a chance. A great chance!

Greg R., Spokane, WA (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 3:19 PM)

Any candidate without an (R) nest to their name has a chance. A great chance!
Greg R
------------------------------------------------------

Democratic party are in for a shocker come 2008. A run election in MA indicate how democratic party will be dissapointed once again.

What have Democratic lead congress accomplished since they took office?

The answer is nothing.

Bee (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 3:54 PM)

Too bad, Kerrey is an outstanding centrist Democrat from a very conservative state. I wouldn't count Fahey out, however. Nebraska pretty much consists of 1)Omaha 1a)Lincoln 2)Everyplace else.

John B, Des Moines, IA (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 4:03 PM)

TEST

test (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 4:04 PM)

Lee, the Bridge to Nowhere was not contained in an entitlement program and you know that. Infrastructure bills and earmarks are completely different from entitlement programs, most of which have annual cost of living increases and therefore obviously increase with time. We're talking Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, welfare programs and the like. Then again maybe you don't know because the porkbusters.com web site you refer us to is a low budget web portal, not a legitimate organization. Of course they can hook me up with all kinds of online shopping, dating, houses for sale, and airline tickets. Like I said yesterday, the Internet allows us to fact check to a degree never known before. Which still won't stop Michael Savage and the like from spewing their hateful lies.

John B, Des Moines, IA (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 5:09 PM)

Bee,
you are showing your age, or lack of maturity. I have taught many in your generation, some were hard workers, the rest were lazy, given everything without appreciation and never opened a book till the night before the test. please go back to doing 'some' research. that would really show us you can one day take control and prosper. Till then "We are the power" cause we are old and vote and have been through this kind of political wilderness before.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!!!

John S. Alexander, Edinboro, PA (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 5:52 PM)

Really bad news for Senate Democrats -- who are getting a lot of it lately. Nebraska was rated fourth in the latest Senate rankings of Campaign Diaries: www.campaigndiaries.com/senaterankings But it is likely to drop down soon.

Daniel, NY (Sent Wednesday, October 24, 2007 6:10 PM)

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